The Fast of Gedalia

One day after Rosh Hashanah commemorates a tragedy in Jewish history whose message reverberates for us today.

The day after Rosh Hashanah marks the Fast of Gedalia, one of the "minor fast days" in the Jewish calendar year. The fast begins in the early morning at dawn, and ends in the evening at dusk.

What is the meaning of this fast, and why does it occur during the intermediate days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur?

The Story of Gedalia

After the destruction of the First Temple 2,500 years ago, the majority of the Jewish people were exiled to Babylon. The conqueror, Nebuchadnezzar, eventually eased some of his harsh restrictions and allowed some Jews to remain in the Land of Israel. He even appointed a righteous Jew named Gedalia to administer the territory. Gradually, more Jews who'd escaped from the horrors of the war into neighboring countries began to return to their homes in Israel.

Gedalia was realistic about the limitations of Jewish sovereignty. He understood that for their own self-preservation, the Jews in Israel needed to fully cooperate with the nation who had conquered their land.

But this political subservience was intolerable to some Jews. A man named Yishmael ben Netaniah, spurred on by jealousy and foreign influence, arose and ignored the King of Babylon. On the third of Tishrei, Yishmael treacherously killed Gedalia as well as many other Jews and Babylonians.

Answer On Yom Kippur

In the aftermath of Gedalia's murder, the Jews feared reprisal from the King of Babylon. They thought to flee to Egypt to save themselves. But since Egypt was a morally corrupt society, the Jews were in a quandary ― weighing the physical threat against the spiritual danger. So they turned to the prophet Jeremiah, who was secluded in mourning, to ask for advice.

For an entire week, Jeremiah pleaded with God for an answer. Finally, on Yom Kippur, he was answered. Jeremiah called the Jews and told them to stay in Israel and everything would be fine. God was planning to make the Babylonians act mercifully toward the Jews, and before long, all the exiled Jews would be permitted to return to their own soil. But, Jeremiah told them, if the Jews decided to go to Egypt, the sword from which they were running would kill them there.

Unfortunately, the prophet's words did not penetrate, and the people refused to believe. All the Jews remaining in Israel packed their bags and went down to Egypt. They even kidnapped Jeremiah and took him with them! Now the destruction was complete; the Land of Israel was completely barren.

You can guess what happened next. A few years later, Babylon conquered Egypt and tens of thousands of Jewish exiles were completely wiped out. The lone survivor of this massacre was Jeremiah. His prophecy had become painfully true.

The initial event ― the murder of Gedalia ― has been likened to the destruction of the Holy Temple, because it cost Jewish lives and brought the end of Jewish settlement in Israel for many years. The prophets therefore declared that the anniversary of this tragedy should be a day of fasting. This day is the third of Tishrei, the day immediately after Rosh Hashanah.

Lessons for the Fast of Gedalia

Lesson #1 ― The Jewish people had sunk to one of their lowest levels in history. The Temple was destroyed, the majority of Jews were exiled, and things looked hopeless. But God changed their desperate situation and had the righteous Gedalia appointed. Yet Gedalia was murdered by a Jew and all hope was wiped out.

It was at this point that Jeremiah prayed to God for some insight and assurance. This was during the 10 days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. This story is memorialized to teach us an important message for these days: No matter how far away you are, you can return and God will forgive you.

Lesson #2 ― The Jews who went to ask Jeremiah for advice were subconsciously sure that God would give the answer they wanted to hear. So when God answered differently, they rebelled.

Yet these were not evil people. What happened?

Though these Jews were in one sense dependent on the will of the Babylonians, they were unwilling to be dependent on the will of God. The lesson is that attaching oneself to God means following Him at all times, not just when it happens to coincide with what you want.

A good rule in life, when faced with a tricky moral dilemma, is to ask yourself: "What would God say? What does He want me to do?"

Lesson #3 ― When one Jew murders another, it is a deep, terrible tragedy, which can have enormous historical repercussions. There is no excuse for such violence. Do we have philosophical and political differences? We must work them out with calm and tolerance. It is the only acceptable way.

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About the Author

Rabbi Aryeh Nivin is a teacher of Personal Development and a Professional Life Coach. He also runs telephone phone conference calls that specialize in Jewish Personal Development. Rabbi Nivin has been involved for decades with many new and innovative programming ideas in many different Jewish organizations and businesses. He lives in Ashdod in southern Israel with his wife and lively family.

Rabbi Shraga Simmons spent his childhood trekking through snow in Buffalo, New York. He holds a degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin, and rabbinic ordination from the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem. In 1997 he became the founding editor of Aish.com, and later the founder and director of the Torah study website, JewishPathways.com.

An expert on media bias, Simmons was the founding editor of HonestReporting.com, building it into a leading database of pro-Israel activists, where his work was cited by the New York Times as effecting sweeping changes in Mideast media coverage. He is the author of the definitive treatment of the topic, David & Goliath: The Explosive Inside Story of Media Bias in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (2012), which James Taranto of the Wall Street Journal calls "of crucial importance for the future of the Middle East."

In 2012, Simmons produced the critically-acclaimed short film, "Red Line on Iran," outlining a peaceful solution to stopping nuclear proliferation in the Middle East.

Rabbi Simmons currently serves as the Director of Aish Communications, handling all marketing, public relations and media activities for Aish HaTorah International.

Visitor Comments: 26

(23)
Katrina Garcia,
September 10, 2013 6:04 PM

Because HaShem Said So

I have a son who wants a tattoo and I told him he can have one as long as it's fake. He asked me why he can't have a real one. And I said, "Because G-d said so!" He responded with, "Well, there you go!" If HaShem our G-d commands it, we can trust that it is a good thing because He is merciful and all-knowing.

(22)
Jo-Chanah,
September 8, 2013 10:16 PM

We are admonished to fast and pray

My mother always taught us that when we were confronted with a decision that we couldn't handle on our own, we were to "Turn down our plate" fast and pray until we heard from HaShem. This wisdom has always worked for me.

(21)
Aaron K.,
September 8, 2013 7:29 PM

We Jews are a people of lost opportunities.One tragic outcome which no one mentions is that it would seem that God's plan was that Jews would remain in Judea so that when Jews would return after 70 years, there would be an infrastructure already in place in Judea. With the assassination of Gedalya and the subsequent exile to Egypt, the Land was devoid of Jews. The result is quite apparent. Had Gedalya not been assassinated, or had the Jews heeded Yirmiyahu's advice and remained in Judea, a Jewish presence in the Land would have meant that the returning Jews would not have faced the conditions they did meet. There would have been a religious & political infrastructure. The economy might have been on a solid foundation and the Shomoronim might not have dared interfere with the returning Jews. One can even postulate that more Jews would have returned.But we are indeed a people of lost opportunities.

(20)
Amichai,
October 4, 2011 1:23 AM

Instead of fasting, do something good. Plant a tree in Israel!

It's one thing to retell a story with a moral (that's good) and another to make your life miserable, as if you're reliving the story (that's self-defeating). Better to do something positive. Mortifying the body is not a Jewish principle.

Anonymous,
September 16, 2012 1:59 PM

Not a Jewish Priniple?

"Mortifying the body is not a Jewish principle."
It's true that our greatest goal should be to do something good for others, but how can we say fasting is not a Jewish principle when we're instructed by HaShem to fast on Yom Kippur? The fast for Gedaliah (Melakhim 2 25:25) is also mentioned in Zechariah 7:5 as well, showing that this was a practice. They were admonished for turning it into a time to merely hang the head rather than doing mitzvoth.
Rather than throwing out the practice of fasting or claiming it's not Jewish, we should be busy doing mitzvoth along with our fasting as described in Zechariah 7 & Yeshayahu 58.
Without a humbling of heart and reaching out to others in need particularly while fasting (as we should at all times) , we miss the point entirely and risk partaking in a practice that fails to accomplish anything of value.
L;shana tova

Pricha,
September 19, 2012 1:16 PM

pricha_esther1@yahoo.com

I totally agree with "anonymous sept 16, 2012." Fasting and Mitzvoth. Btw- I never knew it was also mentioned in Zechariah! Thanks for the info! L'Shana Tova :-)

Anonymous,
September 28, 2014 6:13 PM

Response to Instead of Fasting

My experience is that Fasting is very powerful.When I do something good I want to be sure that is directed by G*d not by my self-will,ego and contempt prior to investigation. Praying and praying when fasting directs me more clearly so that I can do G*d's will and get out of mine. This is one way that following Torah directions has helped me connect more deeply and directly with H'S'.

(19)
Linda,
October 2, 2011 9:40 PM

Faith

I enjoy learning about Jewish history. In this instance I noticed that first there was fear, then the people seeked out a proven prophet, when he gave them God's word, they did not believe it. So we have fear and unbelief. A problem through out history. When God speaks He means what He says and we should believe Him. Saves a lot of problems.....

(18)
Anonymous,
October 2, 2011 4:01 PM

How does one talk to people who are not interested?

Murder is totaly abhorent. How ever how does one stop people from doing perceived wrong, I was not there so I do not know what words were or were not spoken. I do not know what finally lead to murder. on the other hand; the prophet only used words of wisdom

(17)
Anonymous,
October 2, 2011 2:45 PM

thanks for your info

so glad you write about the fast and its history.
I am in Jerusalem n wonder what time I finish the fast and all your data in future years can include this detail

(16)
jasmin,
September 12, 2010 7:33 PM

to sharon about free will

sharon you are right that we have free will, however God has a plan for how the world around us will run for the Jews to act out their free will. people definately have the free will to make decisions of right and wrong, but God decides the things they will be faced with. Sometimes G-d makes the jews envoronment, the non jews, do things to test the Jews. Gd makes them do it without giving them the free will. However they are not punished for this unless they take things into their own hands and do more wrong than what G-d caused them to do. This is the case with pharoah in egypt. G-d caused him to harden his heart and not allow the jews to leave, but he took it too far and put tremendous burden on their work and whipped them...so he did get punished(drowning in the sea after the splitting of the sea). to sum it up, people are in this world have free will to decide between doing right and wrong and trust and love in Gd, if He were to make the jews "act appropriately" as you suggested ,that would be taking away their free will, because its taking away their choice of right or wrong. its always good to ask questions, but make sure you ask a person so they can answer you. ;)

(15)
miriam,
September 12, 2010 4:56 PM

answer to comment 13

firstly, great article. i never heard the straights facts of todays fast. thank you very much. second, just a thought on comments 13's question about peace and divine intervention. its a good question. mesillas yisharim teaches us that we are only this world in order to gain access to the next world. therefore, if we pray for peace, G-d will grant it, as long as it doesnt interfere with our portion in the next world. if gaining peace would actually further us from G-d, thus taking away part of our peace in the next world, its not worth it. believing in the next world creates a new dimension to everything in this life. gemar chatima tovah

(14)
rhonda olenick,
September 12, 2010 2:42 PM

...Hashem puts thoughts in one's head...?

I'd like to hear some feedback of what that means... All are invited to respond! have a meaningful fast...

(13)
Anonymous,
September 12, 2010 12:14 PM

Confused by G-D's intervention

I agree with Sharon above. If we have free will, why doesn't G-d intervene when we act in ways he does not want or in ways that will hurt us?
How do we know that G-d intervenes? We petition and petition G-d to allow us to live in peace yet peace is a sometime thing. What must we do to be able to live in true peace?

(12)
darren titan,
September 12, 2010 11:03 AM

question/amswer about free will

in regards to the queswtion asked about the BAbylonians acting mercifully towards the Jews, it says in the torah that Hashem has control over the kings, meaning All of the leaders, Hashem is guiding, in fact He is guiding everyone, and thats a paradox becuause we still have free will, but in Judaism we can live with paradoxes.
So with the Kings, leaders, Hashem is guiding them, and Hashem would have put the thoughts in their minds to not harm the Jews if the Jews followed Hashem.
hope this helps
have a woderful yom kippur and may we all be signed and sealed in the book of life, and this year be the year of the Final Redemptoin.

(11)
Anonymous,
September 12, 2010 8:28 AM

The lesson for today

These tragedies will continue to befall us until we learn to accept people who have different opinions to us. Let us, the Jewish people, unite for kindness and justice and against violence and intolerance.

(10)
Anonymous,
September 9, 2010 6:17 PM

The more I learn, the more amazing Judaism is to me.

(9)
Anonymous,
September 8, 2010 6:31 AM

For there to be one strong Israel, there must be one strong people. We must work together and build, care for each other, let the differences be put away perhaps for discussion another day and cooperate and do what is best for Israel and the people, Jewish people everywhere are all included.

(8)
Sharon,
October 2, 2008 10:02 AM

Confused about God's intervention...

I am confused about God's intervention. When the Jews have been slaughtered I have been told it was because we did not keep His commandments as a "nation". I have also been taught that since God gives man free will, it is ultimately mans choice to do good or evil, not God's.
You wrote, "God was planning to make the Babylonians act mercifully toward the Jews". If that is so, then the Babylonians were not acting on 'free will', were they? If God intervenes and makes people "act mercifully" toward the Jews, then why doesn't He intervene and make the Jew's act appropriately so they are not subject to harsh punishment?

(7)
Anonymous,
September 22, 2008 7:06 PM

this article was very helpful

(6)
y'hoshua halevi,
October 6, 2005 12:00 AM

substitute "usa" for bavel

what happens when you substitute "usa" for bavel here? are the jewish people, esp. in america more dependent on the will of the usa than on H'??

(5)
Gedalia,
December 14, 2004 12:00 AM

My Jewish name explained

I enjoyed reading about the fast of Gedalia and hearing the origin of my Jewish name. Interesting, but sad, to hear how my namesake, Gedalia, was a good man and tried to make the best of a bad situation, but was murdered by a fanatic.

(4)
Marvin,
November 8, 2004 12:00 AM

very relevant!

Thank you for your article on the fast. I do observe the fast, but only because I had thought that this is what Jews are obliged to do. My heart never was in it. I always had thought of it as a waste of my effort due to maudlin sympathy on the part of some rabbis for something that had occured over 2500 years ago and was totally irrelevant to modern times.

Your article expained the reason for for the fast and why it is relevant to modern days. When I fast this Monday, my heart will now be in it and I will do so gladly.

(3)
Cynthia Savell,
September 29, 2003 12:00 AM

Learning something new

Having just come "home" and feeling as though I am starting from step one in the "doing", although I may be on step 3 in the "knowing", I am learning something every all of the time. Fortunately, it is not nearly dawn yet in Arizona so I am able to finish my coffee and do the fast. I do not know if this is technically correct but I guess I have to start somewhere.

(2)
Suelynn Kohan-Saper,
September 29, 2003 12:00 AM

Insightful

When looking at current world events I wonder if perhaps more of us should pay particular attention to lesson #3. Maybe then change will begin to come about.

(1)
Ken Seegar,
August 25, 2002 12:00 AM

Historical repetition

Reading the story of Gedalia reminds me of an incident not too long ago in Israel's history - the senseless murder of a peaceable Jew by another Jew - an event which also had historical ramifications under which we are suffering to this very day! Will we never learn??